Known in the prior art are various pastes and liquid compounds intended, for example, for hand cleaning. For examples use is made of a paste containing 16 percent by weight of Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.4, 10 percent by weight of Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3, 10 percent by weight of Na.sub.2 P.sub.2 O.sub.7, and 18 percent by weight of a mixture of monoethyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols admixed with glycerol, perfume oil, and kaolin. A disadvantage of this compound is that it can only be used to remove aniline dyes. It fails to remove many oils, paints, or carbon blacks.
Also known is another cleansing agent (detergent) comprising special additives which prevent, or at least decrease, the irritative effect on the skin. The active principle of such agents is, for example, a compound of univalent polar groups. The main disadvantage of this agent is that it fails to cleanse from specific contaminants such as paints, resins, etc.
There is known another cleansing agent comprising triethanolamine, lauryl/sulphate, an oil phase consisting of olive oil and clarified fractions of a mineral oil, sodium polyacrylate, and water. This cleansing agent is not sufficiently effective in cleansing heavily soiled hands, nor does it ensure rapid and complete removal of contaminants containing oils, soots, resins, or paints. Moreover, it does not contain useful additives which could disinfect the skin or produce any prophylactic action thereon.
A cleansing agent consisting of water, oleic acid, an aliphatic alcohol, triethanolamine, hexachlorophene and a scenting agent is quite effective. It cleans the skin from specific contaminants, such as carbon blacks, oils, resins, oil paints, but the presence of hexachlorophene in the composition of this cleansing agent produces irritation and sensitization of the skin.